Meteoric
by lilathegreat
Summary: A series of one-shots mainly about Deryn and Alek (but with some Volger and Barlow) set after Goliath. More information inside.


**Alright, this is my first attempt at proper fanficking. Each chapter will be a one-shot, though some will probably be tied together. Feel free to request anything you want to happen in future chapters. Can be an event or a whole story. Reviews would be highly appreciated. Much love, Lila.**

Deryn didn't sleep on her last night aboard the Leviathan. Instead, she used the ratlines, trying to ignore the ache in her knee to go topside. She stood, looking down at the dark ocean. In the distance, lights glimmered from London. In two hours, she'd be down there with Dr. Barlow, Alek, and (much to her chagrin) Volger. The count had nothing else to do with himself, although nature didn't seem to be a likely first choice for him. Then again, she thought, on more than one occasion, she thought that she'd seen him looking at Barlow the way that Deryn herself had been tempted to look at Alek just a few weeks ago. Alek. Two days ago, they had stood on this very topside as he'd thrown away his empire. For her. They'd kissed too. Much more of that had happened these few days, mostly between packing and in deserted corridors of the ship. Deryn shivered, and not just because of the near-November chill in the air.

"Mr Sharp," Barlow's voice came from a lizard clinging to a ratline behind her, startling her out of her thoughts "It would perhaps be best for you to come to my room and make yourself ready for departure." Deryn sighed. "There in a moment. End message." She reached down and pressed her hands against the membrane of the _Leviathan. _"Bye-bye, beastie."

After a long and arduous journey back down the ratlines, Deryn rapped on the door of Dr. Barlow's cabin. The boffin opened the door "Ah, Mr. Sharp." Though Dr. Barlow knew Deryn was a girl, she was careful with what she said around the ship. Message lizards lured everywhere, and it wouldn't do to have Deryn's secret exposed. The halls too were full of people. Many soldiers lived in London, and were going home for the day while _Leviathan_ restocked. Deryn nodded a greeting "Are Volger and Alek here yet?"

"No," said Barlow "I was hoping that you could go see what they've been up to. Take Tazza, he's been driving me mad." Tazza was entangled in one of Barlow's petticoats, yipping for help. "Another reason not to wear the barking things," Deryn muttered. Barlow raised her eyebrows "Indeed."

After disentangling Tazza from the undergarment, him and Deryn walked down the hallways of the airship. Tazza, now that the adversary was dispatched, was very sleepy, and Deryn had to tug him along. "Come on Taz, we're almost to Alek's room."

Deryn knocked on the door. "Alek. Your princeliness." From inside the room she heard a muffled "_Mr._ Sharp, Alek." After a moment, Alek opened the door, accompanied by Bovril riding atop his shoulder. Alek's hair was mussed and he was bleary eyed. Deryn smirked "Tired?" Alek grimaced "I don't see why we have to get off at two in the morning."

"Such a prince." sighed Bovril.

"Barlow sent me to collect you and Volger. Where is that barking count, anyway?" Deryn had rather lost her patience with the wildcount. He'd been awfully huffy at her.

* * *

"It's not as though it's my fault you gave up your empire."She'd complained to Alek the day before. He grinned "It is, though."

"Well. Maybe a little. But what did he want me to do? Make a barking jump for the scroll as you threw it off the ship? Not bloody likely!"

"You would've preferred me to keep it, then?"

Deryn sighed "I suppose not." she'd said, and leaned in.

* * *

Alek shrugged. "Probably packing."

"Aye, well let's get your things then, and then we'll go fetch him."

Alek didn't have many things, so his case was relatively easy to carry. As he lifted it, Bovril decided that it would be better off on Deryn's shoulder, and it tapped on Alek's head "_Mr._ Sharp, please," it said politely. Deryn scooped it off of Alek's shoulder and placed it on her own.

The two of them made their way down the corridor of the ship, weaving around people, some of whom stopped to say goodbye. The crowd unnerved Bovril, who was unaccustomed to this chaos. He buried his face in Deryn's hair and muttered "Mayday, _Mr. _Sharp."

"Hush, beastie." Deryn said, rubbing Bovril's back.

After bringing Volger back to Barlow's room, there was still an hour and a half until _Leviathan_ was in port. Though the boffin's room was larger than nearly everyone else's, it was still quite cramped with four people, two beasties, and Tazza.

"Any reason in particular that you made us come this early?" Volger inquired.

"Hm?" said Barlow distractedly, looking up from the notes she was arranging in such a way that they would not crinkle "Oh, no reason. I just wanted everyone ready, and I know how aristocrats lag." Volger looked a bit put out, and Deryn looked up from her sketchbook, amused. Her subjects took this opportunity to rearrange themselves. "Barking spiders, I was nearly done!" The lorises blinked up at her with large brown eyes. Alek sat beside her, idly fiddling with a length of rope, trying to practice his knots. "You've got it all wrong, dafty." Deryn said, taking the rope from him and showing him how to tie it properly.

* * *

Deryn felt a bit melancholy as they stepped off the _Leviathan. _It had been her home for the past months, and she'd grown rather fond of it. Although it was late at night, the city was still lit. She hadn't been to London in a very long time. She turned to Alek "Do you like it?"

"I believe I'd find it more impressive if I hadn't spent the last four months around the most famous cities the world has to offer." he said. Deryn shrugged. There was truth to that.

"You also seem to be half asleep." Barlow said. She then let out an impressive whistle, hailing a cab. The driver pulled his horse beasties to a stop. Deryn immediately resolved to learn to whistle like that. The boffin hefted up her trunk, denying Volger's offer of assistance and she and Tazza marched off towards the cab. The three of them were left to follow, weaving through the crowd that had gathered to see the airship. The cabbie helped the party heft their bags into the carriage. Alek and Deryn piled theirs on the seat beside them. Barlow placed hers on the floor and indicated to Volger to do the same. Their side of the seat had a gap which Tazza immediately filled, much to Volger's distaste.

"How long until we reach your house, Doctor?" Alek asked.

Alek and Deryn were both too young and too poor to live anywhere on their own, Volger had nowhere else to go, and Barlow had a large house very close to the Society, so the solution was obvious.

"About twenty-five minutes, but with tonight's traffic, I'd say around forty."

"Good," said Alek "because I'm going to take a nap."

"Nap." Bovril said, climbing to Alek's shoulder and patting his head.

Deryn gazed out the window that Alek's head wasn't currently blocking. Tazza settled his head into Dr. Barlow's lap. Volger, looking uncomfortable, tried to distance himself from the creature. The boffin sighed. "It's quite nice to be back." she murmured.

* * *

"Wake up, sleepy." Deryn said, giving Alek a small shake. He awoke with a start, noticing that the carriage had stopped moving. Deryn passed him his bag, and watched as Volger offered Barlow a hand out of the carriage, which, to Deryn's surprise, she accepted. She and Alek clambered out after them.

Barlow's home smelled a bit dusty. Deryn wondered whether Mr. Barlow was still around. She made a mental note to ask the boffin where he was. There was some fumbling and muffled curses as Barlow searched for matches and a lamp. "I've grown quite unused to matches." she said, gesturing for the party to follow. Barlow opened a closet and passed bedding to everyone. "I'm afraid the beds aren't made."

Deryn noticed the uncomfortable expression on Alek's face, and she grinned. "You can't make a bed, can you?"

"Palaces aren't the best places to learn these things."

"I'd better show you then, _Dumkopf._"

Deryn showed Alek first on her bed, then she had him try in his own room, helping when he needed it. "You're on your way to becoming a right proper commoner, you are."

Alek smiled. Deryn quite liked his smile, so she leaned over to kiss him.

"_Gute nacht,_ Deryn." he said.

"G'night, Alek."

* * *

Alek had never before seen Dr. Barlow in her nightclothes, but he supposed that there was a first time for everything. Despite his tiredness last night, he was the first one downstairs in the morning. The boffin had emerged a few minutes after him, Tazza trailing behind and a loris clinging to her shoulder, in a nightshirt with a silky green dressing gown and her hair in a plait. It felt as strange as though he was seeing her naked. "_Guten morgen_, Alek." she said.

"_Guten morgen,_ Dr. Barlow." he replied.

After looking through her cupboards she sighed. "Bother. There doesn't seem to be any food about."

"Barking spiders," came Deryn's voice from the top of the stairs, still in her clothes from the day before "I was hungry."

"Barking spiders," echoed Bovril.

Dr. Barlow pulled some money from her dressing gown pocket and passed it to Alek. "There's pasty shops all over. I trust that you two will find something, though you should put something else on first."

* * *

"I feel as though Dr. Barlow has misplaced her faith in our sense of direction." Alek said.

"Aye. I don't entirely know how we'll get back." Deryn said.

Though they couldn't hold hands on the street, they walked close enough that their hands touched as their arms swung. From Alek's coat pocket, Bovril's head poked out. It had been insistent on coming.

"Maybe Bovril can remember." Alek suggested.

Bovril seemed to be having a grand old-time repeating snippets of conversation from the people who they passed on the busy street "Lip rouge," it giggled "The best chips I've ever had,"

"Or perhaps not." Deryn muttered.

A gaggle of girls walked by, one or two gazing at Deryn, then turning their heads away and giggling.

"I never know whether or not to be jealous or amused when girls look at you on the streets." Alek said bemusedly.

"Jealous of who?" Deryn teased. Alek shoved her with his shoulder.

* * *

After finding a small shop which smelled exceedingly good, Deryn and Alek realized that they were indeed lost.

"We came here through this street." Deryn said, pointing the opposite way of where Alek been thinking.

Alek's brow furrowed. "I thought it was that way."

Deryn gave a defeated sigh. "Bovril, d'you remember?"

"_Guten morgen,_ _Mr._ Sharp." was the only reply.

**Sorry if my writing sucks, but I will get better with time and constructive criticism.**


End file.
